“As long as you don’t plan to corrupt her into doing something stupid,” he replies dryly.
I give Grayson a gentle nudge. “I’m not that corruptible,” I say.
“No,” he says, “that’s not the problem.”
“What does that mean?”
“I’ll just go on into the bedroom,” Kara says, “if that’s okay?”
“Of course,” I say, stepping aside to allow her to enter, and even as she disappears I step in front of Grayson. “What did that mean?”
His hands come down on my arms and he drags me to him. “You have nothing to prove, you having nothing to repent with me. Don’t go in there with Ri trying to make something up to me.”
The words hit a nerve that I didn’t know existed. He’s right. I do want to make up for leaving him. I left him after his father died. “I’ll be smart.”
“Woman,” he bites out. “That is not a reply I like. We had this conversation. You’re going to want to protect me. Resist.”
“You’re letting me go. That must mean that Blake satisfied your expectations this morning.”
“He brought up every concern I had and then some.”
“And then some?”
He caresses my cheek. “They know what they’re doing or I wouldn’t be letting you go. You know that.” He turns me to the door. “Go talk to Kara. I need you to know how to protect yourself while you’re there today and I want to talk to Blake about how they’re monitoring you while you’re there.” He smacks my backside and while that would normally send an erotic chill up my spine, it doesn’t.
I suddenly want this day over with more than ever.
That gets me moving and I hurry back into the bedroom to find Kara standing by the bed where she’s opened the suitcase she’s used for my things, that isn’t mine at all, and pulled out the three outfits she brought me. Grayson shuts the bedroom door for us behind me and I mentally choose the basic black skirt and royal blue blouse to wear today. I hate that I do it because Ri complimented me on that blouse, but today is all about making him feel that I’m team Ri without going overboard and raising suspicions.
“Let’s get you dressed and wired first,” Kara says, her hands settling at her hips. “I just need you right here in front of me and if you don’t mind, in only your bra and panties. Sorry, I know you don’t know me but I need to get this right and fast.”
I laugh. “If I had those things on, that would be fine,” I say, “but I don’t.”
She laughs. “Those are the best mornings. I brought you basic stuff, including those items, most of your bathroom toiletries, but not much else. I had to be discreet. I literally packed it in a duffle that I dropped out of your back window.”
“Talk about resourceful,” I say.
“But not early enough.” She glances at her watch. “We’re pushing it for both of us to get there.”
A few minutes later, Kara’s made the process quick and painless, and I’m fully dressed, working on makeup and hair in the bathroom with the supplies she’s brought me. “Okay,” she says, standing at the sink close to me while I work, “I need your phone. I’m going to put a collection of numbers in it. I’m first and Adam’s second because we’re closest in the building with you. I’m setting up a group message on your phone. Use it if you’re in trouble so we all know at once.”
They’re worried. I’m worried. “How likely is it that Ri knows I was with Grayson this weekend?” I ask, turning to face her with Grayson’s concerns on my mind.
“If he had you followed when you first split with Grayson I wouldn’t assume that would continue. You stayed away from Grayson too long for him to think that you’d suddenly return. However, he’s trying to take down Grayson. He could be paranoid.”
The part about me staying away from Grayson feels pretty crappy. God. Why did I stay away? “Let’s assume he knows and he confronts me. I don’t have a story or an excuse. I need one.” I press fingers to my temple. “Think, Mia.” I look at her. “I have nothing.”
“Tell him you invested money through Grayson but he wouldn’t pay you out without seeing you and it was a packaged deal with a set end date. That way he can’t check it. An agreement between you and Grayson. Be angry about it. That’s your chance to be on team Ri.”
“That’s brilliant.”
“We used it in another case so I’m not thinking on the fly. A group of us came up with it in a similar situation. That’s the benefit of experience. Last thing. If you end up in trouble, go to the most public place and wait on me. The reception area. The lobby. Even an elevator instead of the stairs, but the elevator can be unpredictable for a fast escape. If you need fast, take fast, but remember there are cameras in the elevator that we’ve tapped into. There are no cameras in the stairwells and that’s a hard area to place hidden cameras that matter. It’s too many spaces in one path.”
I take it all in and in a few minutes, I have my purse and briefcase on my shoulder as Kara and I walk out to the dining room where Eric, Blake, Adam, and Grayson wait. They all stand at our approach. “I’m headed to the building now,” Adam says. “I just wanted to make sure you know I’m there. I wanted to make contact with you before you leave.”
“Thank you,” I say, and he nods and takes off for the door.
“Asher and one of our other men are in a surveillance van by the building,” Blake says. “They’ll be tapped into every camera in the building and any recording device Kara places will feed to them.” He eyes Kara. “You need to go now.”
She turns to me and her hands go to my shoulders. “Be you. Try to tune out what’s going on. That’s the best thing you can do. If you would normally get mad at him, get mad. Don’t suddenly change with him. I’ll be close.”
“Thank you,” I say.
“I want to be in the surveillance van,” Grayson says.
“If you aren’t at work today,” Blake says, “that’s going to be a red flag if he had her followed.”
“If he had her followed, she’ll be in trouble,” Grayson says. “I need to be in that van.”
“We came up with a story,” I say. “You made me come visit you to get a payout on an investment. I’m angry about it. I’m team Ri.”
Grayson’s eyes narrow. He doesn’t like this answer. He looks at Blake. “You better fucking protect her or I don’t care how many skills you have. You will feel the pain.”
“Grayson,” I hiss. “Stop.”
Blake looks at me. “If it were me with Kara I’d say the same thing.” He looks at Grayson. “I’ll protect her with my life.”
“You better,” he says, looking at me. “Because I don’t have one without her. I can’t lose her again.”
It’s then, in his intensity, that I know he knows something I don’t know but there isn’t time for me to ask. I have to get to the office and into the snake’s den. I have to get to my meeting with Ri.
CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX
Grayson
The past, two years ago…
I pull the Porsche to the front of the gallery where the annual children’s hospital charity event is taking place with Mia in the seat next to me. “Oh my God, I’m nervous,” she murmurs.
I grab her hand and kiss it. “You have no reason to be nervous.”
“It’s our first public outing,” she argues. “And your father is going to be here. He wasn’t supposed to be here.”
The valets try to open the doors but I leave them locked, focused on Mia. “My father loves you.”
“He and I had the coffee shop encounter. That’s all. He went out of the country right after he talked to me that day. And he wasn’t supposed to be here tonight,” she repeats.
“You’re here and on my arm. We’re doing what he suggested. Owning our relationship. He was motivated to show up.”
She turns to me. “The entire staff will know I’m fucking you.”
I laugh. “Well since you’re living with me, I think that, yes, t
hey will assume that we’re fucking.”
“Are we really telling them I moved in with you?”
“Baby, we’ve been together six months and you haven’t stayed at your place since. I’m in love with you, Mia. You’re in love with me. It’s time to stop hiding.” The valet knocks on the window. “We need to get out. We’re blocking the drive. I’ll come around to get you.” I hesitate. “Or we can leave. If you don’t want—”
“No. I do. I don’t want to hide. I’m established enough at work. I love you. Let’s do this.” She turns toward the door and I hit the locks. I step out of the car and hand the valet a large bill that shifts his scowl to a smile.
I round the vehicle and do the same for the guy on Mia’s side and then I take her hand, walking her to me, and to the sidewalk just outside the door and behind a pillar. “You look beautiful,” I say, giving her curves in a flesh tone, sparkling, knee-length gown a once over. “Get used to spending my money. It looks good on you.”
“I don’t have to. You do it for both of us. You had a dozen gowns delivered, Grayson. That’s excessive.”
“You wouldn’t shop. I didn’t know what you’d like, but for the record, this was the one I wanted you to wear.”
“I don’t ever want you to think I care about the money.”
“You can’t live life with me and keep fighting the money, baby. I have it. I damn sure don’t want to spend it alone.”
“I know, but—”
I lean in and kiss her. “We don’t argue unless we’re naked, remember?”
“You win all those arguments.”
“That’s the idea.” I wink. “Come, baby.” I slide her arm to my elbow. “Let’s go donate some money to charity and tell the world we’re in love.”
She catches my arm. “Are you sure you love me enough to do this? Because I can’t risk my career if you don’t really love me.”
“Where did that just come from?” I cup her face. “I love you like I didn’t think I could love, but if you don’t love me enough to—”
“I do. You know I do.”
“Then we’re going now. Stop thinking so much.” I pull her under my arm, sheltering her with my body and making sure she knows how completely I’m claiming her.
We enter the gallery and we’re greeted at the door by a hostess who directs us toward one of the event rooms. We travel the long walkway and I slide our fingers together right as Mitch, Mia’s direct supervisor, walks out of the room we’re about to enter. He stops dead in his tracks, looking stunned. “What is happening?”
“I asked to meet with you for the past three days,” Mia says. “I wanted to warn you.”
He looks at Grayson. “I—what does this mean?”
“It means we live together, we’re in love, and Mia gets no special treatment.”
“I don’t want it,” she says. “I think I’ve proven I’m good at my job. I’ll continue to prove that I’m good at my job.”
I fix him in a stare. “You can continue to be an asshole and ignore your employee’s request for a meeting for three days if you like, though that’s not a behavior I personally practice. I believe you’ve gotten a meeting with me immediately each time you’ve asked.”
“I have,” Mitch says glancing at me. “I’m sorry, Mia, and I’m not saying that because you’re with Grayson. I was a shit to put you off.” He looks at Grayson. “I’m having trouble with a case. I might need your counsel.”
“Call me in the morning,” I say.
Mitch nods and steps around us, “Oh my God,” I whisper. “You just--”
“That had nothing to do with you, Mia,” I say. “I don’t approve. That’s not how I operate. That’s not how my father operates and he deserved to get sideswiped.”
“Grayson, damn it.”
I turn her to face me. “You’re my woman. If he’s a dick to you, he’s a dick to other people. He doesn’t get away with that. I expect you to tell me if there is anything that doesn’t represent me the way you know I want to be represented. Earn your own way, I get that, but you’re still my woman. We’ve talked about this. The only way to be my woman is to protect me and protecting my company is protecting me.”
“I know that. You’re right. We talked about this in advance.”
“Okay then.” I wrap my arm around her shoulder and kiss her temple. “Let’s go in.”
We enter the room with artwork on every wall, rows of small standing tables, and waiters maneuvering through the suits and tuxedos. We’re only a few steps into the chaos, but I’m aware of all the eyes that turn in our direction as I’m certain Mia is as well. Thankfully a waiter stops in front of us, deflecting the attention sure to stir her discomfort. “Champagne?” he offers.
Mia holds up her hands but I accept two glasses. “You need this,” I say, as the waiter departs.
“I might run my mouth and say who knows what if I drink this,” she says, accepting the glass I hand her.
“If it makes you relax, that’s a good trade-off.” I hold my glass up to hers. “To us.”
Her eyes warm. “To us,” she says softly, the charge between us electric, the room fading away. My hand goes to her hip and I walk her closer. “We couldn’t hide this, Mia. It’s too damn good.”
“Look who’s here.”
At the sound of the familiar voice, I grimace, releasing Mia to settle my hand at her back as we turn to face my old college rival. “Mia,” I say, standing toe to toe with the man whose father has always been my father’s business rival, his blond hair smoothed back ever so firm tonight, a silent standoff that I don’t invite. He’s just always fucking competing with me. “This is Riley Montgomery,” I say. “You probably know him from the Montgomery firm. We went to school together.”
“Call me Ri,” Riley says, offering his hand to Mia and I swear I don’t want to let her take it.
Mia does the expected and shakes his hand but when she would pull back he holds onto it. “You’re lovely. When he’s done with you, come see me. I’ll help you lick your wounds.”
Mia yanks her hand back. “That was inappropriate,” she scolds before I can respond.
He chuckles. “I’m just an inappropriate guy.”
“Try bitter. He wanted the girl who wanted me in college. I fucked her. He didn’t.” I look at Mia. “Just so he doesn’t get the chance to tell the story and twist it on his own.”
“Oh,” Mia says, looking at Ri. “I’m sorry. That must have sucked.”
Ri’s scowl is instant. “You’re sorry? You will be when he fucks you and moves on.”
It’s in that moment that my father joins us, stepping between Mia and Ri. “Mia, honey,” he says, taking her hand. “I’m so glad to see you here and on Grayson’s arm. You look stunning despite your present company.” He glances at Ri. “How’s your pops?”
“Opening four new offices in the next four months.”
“Is he now?” he replies. “Better be careful. Too many too fast can cause grave growing pains. Good luck though.” He glances at Mia. “Walk with me and talk.” He settles her hand on his elbow and turns her away from me and Ri.
Ri steps closer. “Obviously your father thought you needed help.”
“I’m fairly certain my father wanted to flirt with Mia, just like you tried to flirt with Mia.”
He narrows his eyes on me. “You’re really into her.” His lips twitch. “Interesting. In this case, I’ll take your sloppy seconds. Let me know when you’re done.” He turns and walks away and for the first time ever, Ri hits a nerve.
***
Mia
“He’s an absolute ass,” Grayson’s father says, guiding me through the crowd and down a corridor where more art is displayed. “But he came by it honestly. His father is as well. He and I went to law school together and the rivalry started there.”
“That’s a long time to be rivals,” I say. “And are you really even rivals? You’re about double their size, right?”
“Thanks to Grayson, who’s a believer in thinking outside the box.” He stops us at a painting of a winery. “Ever been to Sonoma?”
“A few weeks ago with Grayson. It was my first time.”
“And you enjoyed it?”
“It was lovely.” I laugh. “I liked all the cheap wines. I guess I’m a Brooklyn girl with Brooklyn taste buds.”
He laughs. “And what did Grayson think of your choices?”
“He liked them. We brought some back with us.”
“Us. Interesting choice of words. Do you still love my son?”
I nod. “Yes, Mr. Bennett. Very much.” And I don’t know why but I tear up.
He reaches up and wipes away the dampness. “First. Call me Raymond. Second, why did that make you cry? Does he not love you?”
“I just—I don’t know how to deal with your money. I feel like when I tell you that I love him, you’ll think I love the money. I feel like when I tell him I love him, he will on some level always wonder. I mean tonight he had twelve dresses delivered because I wouldn’t shop. He wants me to spend his money, but I can’t.” I down my champagne and set the glass on a table. “I’m telling you this for a reason because you are the only person I know who can help me.”
“How is it that I can help?”
“You said your wife hated the money, so she didn’t want money when she met you.”
“No, she did not.”
“Did you doubt her? Did you ever think she wanted the money and not you?”
“Never. Not once, but she had to get over the fear of my money, as do you, of Grayson’s. If you love him you have to share his life, and who he is, and money is a part of who he is, like it or not.”
“If I spend his money, how does he know it’s not about the money, because it’s not. God, it’s so not. I do love your son.”
“Because I know,” Grayson steps to my side and turns me to face him. “I know,” he repeats. “If I didn’t know, I wouldn’t be so damn in love with you.” He pulls me to him and kisses me. “I’m not letting you go. Don’t you let me go.”
Dirty Rich Betrayal Page 16
